The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1887-05-28

her side, Ii he saw her permission In
her face.
"May I-may 1 kiss your hand ?''
he asked, with trembling lips.
"I-I was just thinking how very
very considerate you are OF my wishes"
she murmured, but shaking her head.
"I do think your mother is so sweet,
Mr.. Cowl." she added, irreveren,ly (;
and then exclaimed, with burst OF
confidence, ssyou know what lady
would not like" In moment she
went on: "Did you ever do anything
which people told you was remarkably
noble ?'
"No, indeed. Why's
Again Nelly treated Anthony -Cowl
to II searching but subtle glance.
"You're the first man ever met who
failed to tell me so," she said, smiling.
"But wouldn't you make II great sacri-
flee for me: ,"
"I hardly believe l would," answer.
ed her admirer. ga sacrifice would
necessitate my being wholly absent
from you, or something of the sort, to
strike a death blow to my happiness in
you.. l should be fool to make any
sacrifice for you worthy OF the name"
The Cameleon laughed outright. =.
"You seem willing to be quite hon.
est" she commented. "But, Mr..
Cowl, arent't you afraid TO become en-
gagged to me, even If am lu be per-
suaded, considering that l have
changed my mind very often already,
40 that thoy actually call me II Games
leon? was talking about 1t with
your mother, the last time l called !;
and she said that would probably go
on changing my mind until l was
twenty, unless something extraordi>
nary happened; just as brook runs
ever so irregularly down mountain
side, until 1t reaches great tissure
which hens it firmly ill.,"
"WelI, l shall be satisfied il you be.
come engaged to me-" Anthony
Cowl replied. 81 can't ask ssyou to
marry me first, you know, and then
have the engagement afterward, al,
though l might prefer it. 1t is just
possible you might really marry mo
after ALL"
81 suppose l am very ambitious."
Nelly remarked. "I suppose l have
such sense of my own importance
that only think of myself and be-
lieve that nothing is good enough for
me-"
81 certainly don't fell good enough
for you," Cowl declared with little
sigh. "But don't pay 80 much atten-
ton to that. love you with my whole
soul, as the most beautiful woman l
could ever dream of seeing; and
woman with o look in her eyes and a
tone in her voice that awakened some
thing in my heart that gives me the
greatest joy ever felt. YOU'RE just tho
sort of woman TO grow nobter and
stronger every year and face the mis-
fortunes of life as braveIy as il you
were a Sister of Mercy"
The Cameleon turned a little toward
him. "Wby, don't seem frivolous in
the extreme? And isn't that agreeable
to you:'
"Who dares to call you frivolous ?"
cried Anthony Cowl, springing up.
"Oh, ! shouldn't know what to do
with myself if ! was anything but silly
and easy -go-iucky," she prot tested,
merrily smiling. "Oh, am so sorry!
For / see that you would tire of my
"If you would only promise to be my
wife !" he exclaimed, sitting down
nearer to her, and gazing deeply into
her eyes.
"Bless me, l never do that! | just
consent to be engaged and they go to
papa and have a talk; and then, in a
few days, ! tell papa that l have been
forgetting an objection, and he will
have to manage to break tho engage
ment for me-"
The Cameleon looked SO innocent,
startled and haff-amusod that Cowi
burst out laughing.
"Ah, WE'LL" he said, cit will not be
very hard for you to become engaged
to me, then, will it? That is all / ask,
with all IFS risks and possible calamity.
Let me hear you say that you sengage'
yourself to me, and will rejoice very
much, and call every day, and leave /,
to your generosity to do me justice, and
weigh my love at your leisure"
Nelly sagcly shook her head.
"If il only wasn't Cor Dick ?' she
sighed, sinking back into an attitude OF
detected musing.
HDick is OF no consequence" An
thony CowI calmly answered. Let him
go, and give your hand to mc.'
She had covered her eyes for an in.
stant, but she quick ly glanced up. She
laughed, blushed and clapped her
hands in delight.
"Why, l certainly thought that
would make you angry"' she coniided
to him, giving him Il melting look. 81
wonder what your mother could have